Gabion connector

ABSTRACT

An improved gabion includes a plurality of steel rings for interconnecting adjacent planar, wire mesh panels of the gabion. The rings are spaced at intervals from two to twelve inches along the connected edges of the adjacent panels.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,840,947

Burbidge Oct. 15, 1974 1 GABION CONNECTOR [56] References Cited [75]Inventor: George W. Burbidge, Edmonds, UNITED STATES PATENTS Wash.957,764 5/1910 Galbraith 24/261 PC 3,651,851 3/1972 Curtis 256/33 X [73]Assignee: Keystone Consolidated Industries,

mfi 'jnf FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Filed p 18 1973 256,424 l/I965Australia 256/47 [21] Appl. No.: 398,486 Primary Examiner-Donald A.Griffin Attorney, Agent, or FirmMolinare, Allegretti, Newitt RelatedU.S. Application Data & witcofi. [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 242,970,April ll, l972,

[52] U S Cl 24/261 WL 256/33 An improved gabion includes a plurality ofsteel rings [51] In. .0 g 5/00 A44) 21/00 for interconnecting adjacentplanar, wire mesh panels 58 Field else len 256/32 33 47 57' 0f thegabiOn- The h1g5 are Spaced at intervals from 52/358. 24/29 261 R 261 PC261 B 261 two to twelve inches along the connected edges of the WL, 26lwc, 261 PT, 261 0 adjacent Panels- 1 Claim, 7 Drawing FiguresPATENTEDECT 1 51914 7| all Ill.

,lilzl... 6 i i i i I'll IIII I'll) ill GABION CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION In a principal aspect, the present invention relates to animproved gabion structure.

A gabion is a rectangularly shaped container made from woven wire mesh.The gabion may be made in any desired length, l 2, 3 or 4 feet high and2, 3, 4, or feet wide. The gabion is fabricated from a plurality ofsubstantially planar wire mesh panels which are interconnected with eachother by a spiral coil of wire that is coiled about adjacent parallelwires at matching edges of the panels of the gabion. The wire meshcontainer is filled with rocks usually taken from the gabion site.

Gabions are used to prevent land erosion along streams and rivers, toretain walls along highways and railroads, to provide supports forbridges and piers and other similar uses. These various uses includeweirs, revetments, groins and dams. 7

As briefly discussed above, adjacent planar panels have in the past beenconnected with each otherby means of a spiral coil of wire which isthreaded through the edges of panels. This means for assemblying gabionsis quite acceptable, particularly in the structural sense since theadjacent panels are effectively held together by the coiled wirearrangement. However, assembly of gabions on site with such a coil wiremeans is tedious and time consuming. It is this difficulty, amongothers, which the present invention seeks to overcome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION LII In a principal aspect, the presentinvention comprises the improvement in a gabion of ring connectors forfastening adjacent planar panels of the gabion together. The ringconnectors are spaced at intervals of from 2 to 12 inches and can bemore easily utilized for on site fabrication of gabions.

It is thus an object of the present invention to an improved gabionconstruction.

It is a further object of the present invention. to provide a gabionhaving the strength and rigidity of prior art gabions yet which iseasier to assemble, particularly at a site location. 7

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gabion whereinadjacent panels of the gabion are interconnected by rings.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the presentinvention will be set forth in greater detail in the description whichfollows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the detailed description whichfollows, reference will be made to the drawing comprised of thefollowing FIGURES:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a typical gabion in an assembledcondition;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a gabion-of the type shown inFIG. 1 prior to placement of rocks in the gabion;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of one corner of a typical gabionwherein one pair of adjacent panels are interconnected by means of theconnector rings of provide the present invention and another pair ofpanels are interconnected by the prior art construction;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the improved gabion connector ring of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the ring shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the ring shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the ring of the type shown in FIG.4 wherein the ring is shown in an open position before fastening aboutwires comprising a portion of adjacent panels of a gabion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, thereis shown a typical gabion which is filled with rocks ready for placementat an appropriate site for desired use. FIG. 2 illustrates the gabion ofFIG. 1 prior to filling the gabion with rocks.

The gabion is comprised of a top panel 10 which is hinged to a rearpanel 12. A bottom panel 14 and a front panel 16 are fastened as shownin FIG. 2'to form four sides of the gabion. Opposite end panels 18 and20 are connected with rear panel 12, bottom panel 14 and front panel 16.Diaphragms or intermediate panels 22 and 24 define internal walls of thegabion. All of the walls or panels comprising the gabion are of a wiremesh sufficient to retain rocks within the gabion.

While in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a typical gabion, it is to beunderstood that the particular shape of the gabion shown in FIGS. 1 and2 is not a limiting feature of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is illustrated in a perspective view aportion of a corner of a gabion; For purposes of illustration this willbe taken as the corner 28 of the gabion shown in FIG. 2. The prior arttaught that adjacent panels of the gabion would be interconnected bymeans of a spiral wire 30 passing about edge wires 32 and 34 of adjacentpanels 12 and 14 respectively. Threading or attaching the spiral wire 30is indeed a troublesome chore.

The combination of the present invention is represented by the means forattaching panels 12 and 16 and panels 14 and 16. In these instances, aplurality of specially constructed wire rings 36 are fastened about edgewires 38-41 in the manner illustrated. The rings 36 are preferablyspaced at intervals from 2 to 12 inches depending upon the size of thegabion and the specific structural needs. By this construction, theassembly procedures are greatly simplified, particularly for on siteassembly. That is, ring attachment apparatus can be utilized to fastenthe number of rings desired to assemble the gabion. Additionally, if anyweak portions of the gabion walls are noted, a ring may be fastened tostrengthen that weak portion. Also, it should be noted that the flatpanels may have supplementary strengthening panels fastened thereto bymeans of the rings 36.

The ring 36 is preferably constructed ina prescribed geometricalconfiguration as illustrated in FIGS. 4-7. As illustrated in theseFIGURES, the ring is comprised of a single length of wire having acentral curvature section 44 which defines of the curvature of the ring36. Adjacent the central curvature section 44 and extending therefromare substantially straight line parallel sections 46 and 48 respectivelywhich are spaced from one another so as to define a space in which wiresas at-38 and 39 may be fitted. The opposite ends 50 and 52 are curvedand overlap one another as illustrated in particular in FIG. 4. The ends50 and 52 terminate at I a planar end surface 54 and 56 respectively.The curvature of the ends 50 and 52 is such that the ends 50 and 52define about 180 of the bend of said ring 36.

Thus, the ring 36 is somewhat eliptical in shape with the overlappingends 50 and 52 overlapping substantially tightly against one another. inthis manner, the ring 36 may be fitted around edge wires as at 38 and 39to securely hold the edge wires 38 and 39 in a locked position, yetallow for some play to permit ease of fastening the ring 36. The lengthof the parallel sections or runs 46 and 48 may be varied depending uponthe circumstances and the gauge of the wire involved. The runs 46 and 48can thus be lengthened to facilitate the ease of fastening the ring 36over edge wires 38 and 39.

l. The improvement in an assembly of gabions of fastening means forfastening adjacent wire mesh panels of gabions together, said adjacentpanels including substantially parallel, equal diameter edge wires,'saidpan els all connected to form an enclosure for rock material, saidimprovement comprising, in combination:

a plurality of closed steel rings loosely extending over said adjacentedge wires of separate panels, said rings spaced at intervals of no morethan twelve inches, each of said steel rings being formed from a singlelength of wire into a substantially elliptical shape with a curvedmiddle portion of the wire length forming one end of the ellipticalshape, said one end fitted adjacent one edge wire, the opposite ends ofsaid wire being curved and overlapping along about of the curve of saidring, said 0pposite ends fitting about the other of said edge wires atthe other narrow end of said elliptical shaped ring, said middle portionand said opposite ends being connected by spaced, substantiallyparallel, straight runs whereby said edge wires are loosely held inparallel relation.

1. The improvement in an assembly of gabions of fastening means forfastening adjacent wire mesh panels of gabions together, said adjacentpanels including substantially parallel, equal diameter edge wires, saidpanels all connected to form an enclosure for rock material, saidimprovement comprising, in combination: a plurality of closed steelrings loosely extending over said adjacent edge wires of separatepanels, said rings spaced at intervals of no more than twelve inches,each of said steel rings being formed from a single length of wire intoa substantially elliptical shape with a curved middle portion of thewire length forming one end of the elliptical shape, said one end fittedadjacent one edge wire, the opposite ends of said wire being curved andoverlapping along about 180* of the curve of said ring, said oppositeends fitting about the other of said edge wires at the other narrow endof said elliptical shaped ring, said middle portion and said oppositeends being connected by spaced, substantially parallel, straight runswhereby said edge wires are loosely held in parallel relation.